Page created on February 20, 2022. Not updated since.
Introduction
Failure to thrive, also known as faltering growth, refers to the situation where there is sub-optimal weight gain or rate of weight gain in young children over time. See also topic B7 from paeds 1.
Causes
Etiology | Examples |
Inadequate intake | Inadequate feeding (food unavailability, poor feeding routines, insufficient breast milk, incorrect preparation of formula) |
Psychosocial deprivation (parental mental health disorder, poor parental-infant interaction) | |
Neglect or child abuse | |
Inadequate retention (chronic vomiting) | GERD |
Food allergy | |
Increased requirements | Congenital heart disease |
Cystic fibrosis | |
Malignancy | |
Malabsorption | Coeliac disease |
Cystic fibrosis | |
Food allergy | |
Crohn disease | |
Failure to utilise nutrients | Genetic/chromosomal disorders |
Intrauterine growth restriction | |
Congenital infection | |
Hypothyroidism | |
Metabolic disorders |